Must-Read Guide for Those Who Can't Mix Soil: 30 Common Types of Soil for Cultivation and 20 Soil Mixing Recipes

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ForewordQian Yan

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Succulent cultivation is inseparable from soil. The editor-in-chief has collected and organized information on 30 common types of soil for succulents and 20 soil mixing recipes, to benefit fellow succulent lovers.

1. Garden Soil

The most ordinary cultivation soil; soil from vegetable gardens and green belts can all count as this. The advantage is that it is easy to obtain.

The disadvantages are that it may contain pest eggs such as cabbage caterpillars, and there are also many molds and fungi. Moreover, when dry, the surface tends to cake; when wet, air and water permeability are poor, so it cannot be used alone.It is generally recommended to mix it with worm castings and granular soil.

2. Vermiculite

It is a mica-like substance formed by heating silicate material at 800-1100°C. Its characteristics are air permeability, water retention, and strong hydraulic conductivity, which are beneficial to root growth. Its main role is to increase the aeration and water retention of the soil (medium).

The disadvantage is that it is easily crushed. As usage time extends, it easily makes the medium compact and causes it to lose aeration and water retention, so coarse vermiculite lasts longer than fine vermiculite and has better effects.

3. Peat Soil

Also known as black soil or peat, it is a special organic matter formed from the remains of ancient plants in low-temperature wetlands that accumulated underground over tens of millions of years and slowly decomposed under low-temperature, low-rainfall, and oxygen-poor conditions. Peat soil is rich in nutrients and is loose and breathable, very beneficial for the initial rooting of succulents. If you want plants to grow quickly, you might as well add more peat soil.

The disadvantage is that if peat soil is used alone to grow succulents, over time the soil will compact, and the succulent roots will be unable to breathe. Therefore, when using it, a certain proportion of granular soil must be added to give the soil gaps and prevent compaction.

4. Rice Husk Charcoal / Rice Hull Ash

Rice husk ash, also called smoked charcoal, is made by smoking rice husks as raw material. It is alkaline and is usually used to adjust soil pH. It is light in weight, has good aeration and fertilizer retention, and strong adsorption. It is rich in potassium fertilizer, with a small amount of calcium and magnesium. It has a soft texture and is easy for rooting. It can protect succulents from harassment by mollusks such as snails, and it is very cheap.

However, Haworthia plants like acidity, so it is best not to use rice husk charcoal.

5. Perlite

It is a glassy rock formed by rapid cooling of acidic lava from volcanic eruptions, named for its pearl-like fissure structure. Perlite has good water permeability and air permeability, and strong fertilizer retention, and can be used in potting mixes and soil improvement.

But after about a year, perlite will break down into powder, becoming an accomplice to soil clumping, and inhaling perlite is harmful to the human body. Compared with vermiculite, perlite's overall properties are slightly worse.

6. Akadama Soil

It is a very rare substance formed by the accumulation of volcanic ash. This is also the most widely used soil medium in countries such as Japan. It can be called highly permeable volcanic mud. Its shape is round, it has no harmful bacteria, and its pH value is slightly acidic.It has a porous structure and is an excellent planting material for aeration, contains a certain amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and is easily crushed.

Anyone who grows succulents knows that akadama soil is the most versatile succulent soil. Its biggest feature is that it is expensive. Most precious succulents are cultivated with akadama soil. Because it is grayish-yellow when dry and reddish-brown after absorbing water, it is easy to judge soil moisture. Using akadama soil as a top dressing allows you to judge by color whether the moisture inside the pot has dried out.

7. Leca / Expanded Clay Pebbles

It is a granular substance with a certain degree of porosity formed after clay is fired at high temperature, and it has good water and fertilizer retention. Its characteristics are air permeability, with an internal fine-pore structure. Placing it at the bottom of the pot can replace pot-bottom stones. Its gaps are large, very suitable for drainage. Combining leca with coal cinders for the bottom layer can fix the leca in place, and the moisture absorption is better.

When placed in the middle and mixed with other soils, it is mainly used for water retention.Placed on the pot surface, it can be used for decoration and to prevent splashing. The particle size can be used according to preference; generally, the larger the better when placed at the bottom. It is very hard and can be reused after repotting.

8. Pine Bark

Pine bark is pine tree bark. It has quite strong water absorption and can retain moisture when mixed into soil. Pine bark is nutritious and can also prevent soil compaction. If you have pine bark, you do not need to add vermiculite and perlite.

Pine bark is easy to obtain. As long as you do not mind the effort of prying off bark, it can be widely used. A good place to get pine bark is a forestry farm, the kind of place that sells pine wooden stakes; there are especially many in the suburbs. Pine wooden stakes are the wooden stakes everyone often sees by the roadside or in community green belts used to support large trees.

9. Kanuma Soil

A rare substance produced in the volcanic area around the Kanuma region. It is formed from lower-layer volcanic soil and appears in the form of volcanic sand. Its pH value is acidic, and it has very high permeability, water retention, and aeration. The size of kanuma soil is not very uniform, and it has many pores.Whether used for professional production or home cultivation or soil improvement, it has good effects.

The properties and usage of kanuma soil are equivalent to akadama soil. It is lighter, but has good water absorption, and easily turns to powder, lasting only about two years. It is very widely used in soil mixes for succulent cultivation.Like akadama soil, it is not recommended to use it alone, although many people do use it by itself.

10. Leaf Mold

Leaf mold is composed of dead branches, fallen leaves, and decayed roots. It is rich in humus and has good physical properties, beneficial for fertilizer retention and drainage, and the soil is loose. It is acidic. It can also be made by piling up fallen leaves and fermenting them until decomposed.

It has many advantages: first, it is light and loose, with good water permeability and aeration, and strong water and fertilizer retention, with relatively long-lasting fertility;

second, it is porous and does not compact after long-term use, and is easily absorbed by plants. Mixed with other soils, it can improve the soil and increase soil fertility;

third, it is rich in organic matter, humic acid, and a small amount of vitamins, auxins, trace elements, etc., which can promote plant growth and development; fourth, the high temperature during decomposition and fermentation can kill pathogens, insect eggs, and weed seeds within it, reducing pest, disease, and weed damage.

The disadvantages are that during the soil collection process there may be unfermented soil, which brings in insect eggs and pathogens; water permeability is poor, and roots rot easily.

11. Hyuga Stone

Hyuga stone is a volcanic pumice distributed around Hyuga City in western Japan. It looks a bit like kanuma soil and, like other pumice, is very dry.

Hyuga stone is a light stone treated with high-temperature sterilization. It can improve soil drainage and aeration. It is suitable for plant varieties that do not like repotting and do not need repotting. Besides being used for bonsai and cactus types, it can also be used as a surface decorative soil for potted plants, and is also very suitable as part of a cutting soil.

The disadvantages are that it is easily crushed and has no fertility. It is an additive soil; using too much or using it entirely will affect the stability of the plant. Generally, it works better when mixed with akadama soil and kanuma soil.

12. Water-Absorbing Stone

Also known as sandy accumulated stone, with the scientific name travertine or calcareous sinter, it has particularly strong water absorption. It is beneficial for moss to grow on and for planting vegetation, and therefore is full of vitality. Its main component is calcium carbonate, and it contains argillaceous material.

It is produced in limestone strata. Through the action of rainwater, spring water, and the like, the rock layers are leached. When calcium carbonate is dissolved by water containing carbonic acid, it flows downward along the slope, seeps from mountain slopes and rock crevices into areas where it can accumulate, the water evaporates, calcium carbonate slowly precipitates, and over many years sandy accumulated stone is formed.

13. Granular Peat

Its characteristics are high hardness, and it can even serve as a slow-release fertilizer. It is rich in organic matter and humic acid, has a slow-release function, can significantly extend and improve the fertilizing effect on plants, and keeps plants bright green.

It can be used as base fertilizer and top dressing for plants, and can also serve as one of the main materials for preparing cultivation substrates for aerial-root plants.Generally placed in the middle or at the bottom, it will not compact and also helps drainage.

14. Black Immortal Soil

"Immortal soil" is taken from beneath the surface layer at an altitude of 1200 m on Mount Emei. It has slept for tens of millions of years, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, transforming decay into wonder. It comes from nature and is used naturally. It is a natural culture medium for plants, especially orchids and potted plants.

The advantages are that it contains multiple trace elements, and with its own cohesive force, it does not loosen. It has good water retention and aeration, does not compact, has no bacteria, does not tangle roots, and promotes many sprouts. No fertilizer is needed within two years, and after 3-5 years a light fertilizer can be applied. American soil experts have proved through practice that immortal soil itself has no pests or diseases and also has an insect-preventing effect.

The disadvantage is that coarse particles are not conducive to root attachment.

15. Maifan Stone

A natural silicate mineral, scientific name: quartz monzonite. Maifan stone is a composite mineral or medicinal rock that is non-toxic, harmless to organisms, and has a certain biological activity.

It is yellowish-gray and can stabilize, improve, and balance the physical functions of soil. Moreover, maifan stone can absorb some undesirable substances in the soil and has a purifying effect.Using maifan stone can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and soil amendments, and can economically and effectively improve soil quality and protect the environment.

Maifan stone is hard in texture and not easily pulverized, and has a particularly good effect when used for top dressing and adding weight. Therefore, maifan stone has also become an essential soil-mixing medium for the vast number of succulent plant enthusiasts. If there is anything you feel is difficult to grow or unstable to grow, use maifan stone!

16. Plant Ash

The residue after herbaceous and woody plants are burned. Its advantage is that because plant ash is the ashes of burned plants, almost all mineral elements contained in plants are present in plant ash. It can promote seed germination, uniform seedling emergence, root formation, and prevent leaf drop.

The disadvantages are that plant ash is light and alkaline, easily blown away by wind when dry, and easily carried away by water when wet. Contact with nitrogen fertilizer easily causes volatilization loss of nitrogen, and it also cannot be mixed with phosphate fertilizer, so as to avoid phosphorus fixation and reduce phosphate fertilizer efficiency.

17. Coconut Coir

It is the powdery substance between coconut shell fibers. Plants grown with this product have excellent growth results. It is the most popular soilless cultivation medium internationally.

The advantages are that it is cheap, a pure natural product, clean material, and free of pathogens, which can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases; it is rich in trace elements necessary for plant growth; it keeps warm and moist, is ventilated and breathable, and promotes good root development; it is not easy to rot, can be used for a long time, and does not need to be replaced when repotting; it is completely biodegradable.Moreover, it is slightly acidic, which has certain benefits for areas in the north where water quality tends to be alkaline.

However, if only coconut coir is used for planting, the succulent roots will be fragile later, prone to stunted growth, easy to compact, and easy to rot in summer. Therefore, peat soil and coconut coir are generally mixed for growing succulents.

18. Volcanic Rock

Volcanic rock is a porous stone material, generally used for top dressing. It is hard, sterile, loose and porous, highly breathable, not easily deformed, rich in minerals, and can also be used a second time.

Volcanic rock itself is rich in major elements such as silicon, aluminum, iron, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, phosphorus, and antimony, as well as various other trace elements. Because it contains more iron and magnesium, its color is mostly black, dark green, or brick red.Its slight fertilizer properties are very suitable for succulent cultivation.

Coal cinders are similar to volcanic rock, but coal cinders are easily crushed. Because volcanic rock comes from dry mountainous areas and is less affected by air erosion, it has high hardness and is suitable for succulents, orchids, and bonsai plants.

19. Pumice

A porous natural volcanic stone with a loose texture and a highly porous structure, with a water absorption rate of 55%, and good aeration and water permeability. It can float on water, so it is called pumice; it is lightweight, so it is also called light stone. There is 2-5 mm sowing soil, and 3-8 mm planting soil. It is also a very cheap granular soil.

Pumice has strong water absorption, similar to perlite, but it pulverizes slowly. Paired with peat soil, it makes a very good succulent soil mix.Personally, I think small-particle pumice can completely replace perlite, and large-particle pumice can replace leca as bottom-drainage stone.

20. Kanuma Stone / Plant Gold Stone

It is a porous light rock formed when water vapor rapidly volatilized during volcanic magma eruptions. It is an excellent planting material with aeration, water permeability, and moisture retention, and is not easily crushed. Whether used alone or mixed with other substrates, it can produce excellent results.

Its characteristics are similar to pumice. It is very light, and its hardness is just right, not too hard and not as easily pulverized as akadama soil. Therefore, it has the characteristics of being lightweight and excellent in drainage, moisture retention, and aeration.

Moreover, it is clean and hygienic, green and environmentally friendly. It is sterile, odorless, and free of insect eggs, can inhibit the occurrence of pests and diseases, and causes no environmental pollution. It works very well with bark or coconut shell bricks or tree fern, and can also be used for many plants whose roots fear heat, covering the roots and allowing them to pass summer safely.However, plant gold stone contains no fertilizer and needs to be supplemented later.。

21. Honeycomb Coal Cinders

The residue from burning honeycomb coal briquettes is the most cost-effective cultivation medium for growing succulents. After high-temperature burning, coal cinders carry no pathogens and are less likely to cause disease. They contain relatively many trace elements, and have strong aeration and water retention. They are suitable whether used alone or mixed with other media. Combined with leca for the bottom layer, they can fix the leca in place, and the moisture absorption is better.

The disadvantages are that they have no fertilizer and are easily crushed.When using coal cinders, first crush them and sieve out the particles. Small particles around 3 mm can be mixed into the soil, and large particles can be used to line the bottom of flower pots. One more thing to note is that honeycomb coal cinders are somewhat alkaline and need to be soaked in water for a few days to remove the alkalinity, otherwise they may burn the roots.

22. River Sand

Also known as plain sand, it is clean sand from rivers. It is produced from natural stone under natural conditions through repeated impact and friction by the force of water over a long time. Its composition is relatively complex, its surface has a certain smoothness, and it is a non-metallic ore with high impurity content. River sand particles are round and smooth, relatively clean, and widely available.

River sand has no smell, while sea sand has a salty taste. Succulents growing on sandy ground are plump and beautiful,because the main component of sand, quartz crystal, refracts sunlight.

Succulents can receive ultraviolet light invisible to the naked eye from multiple angles, including the backs of leaves that cannot be reached by the sun. With sufficient light, photosynthesis is strong, and with reasonable watering, succulents become plump.When using sand from construction sites, everyone needs to wash it; there must be no cement.

23. Coarse Sand

Coarse sand is the product after river sand has been filtered to remove medium-fine sand and extra-fine sand. It has good aeration and drainage performance, and is clean and hygienic. It contains trace elements such as quartz, iron, and magnesium that are beneficial for plant absorption. Its granular nature makes it effective when used with other substrates.

It mainly consists of sand particles 2-3 mm in diameter and is neutral. Coarse sand contains no nutrients and has aeration and water permeability effects. Coarse sand is generally used with peat soil, and coarse sand can replace perlite. In addition, coarse sand + peat is the best combination for cuttings and rooting.

24. Worm Castings

Worm castings are a pure natural granular substance. They have good aeration, drainage, and moisture retention, sufficient fertilizer efficiency, and comprehensive nutrients.

Rather than a succulent soil, worm castings should be called a succulent fertilizer. Generally, when used, they are mixed with garden soil at a ratio of 1:3, and no fertilizer is needed within one year. They are rich in 18 amino acids, contain 100 million beneficial microbial colonies per gram, and even more valuably contain a large amount of anti-compaction microorganisms that can make the soil loose and prevent compaction. They are the most ideal fertilizer for all kinds of flowers, vegetables, and crops, and are known as the king of organic fertilizers.

25. Bone Meal

Bone meal is the product of by-products from the animal-derived food industry (mammalian tissues and bones, excluding hides and fur, unless the hides and fur are attached to heads and hooves or horns) after rendering, drying, and grinding.

Crude bone meal and steamed bone meal contain about 23% and 30% calcium, and 10% and 14.5% phosphorus, respectively. They can be used as mineral feed for livestock, and lower-quality ones can be used as fertilizer.

26. Kiryu Sand

Kiryu sand is a volcanic sand named after its production area, Kiryu in Japan. It contains a large amount of Fe2O3 (iron oxide) and appears as hard stony sand. Its biggest features are that it is expensive, hard, and has good drainage. It is used for planting succulents and other plants. It is a reddish volcanic stone with relatively high iron content and is very heavy.

Kiryu sand is hard and drains well, and can be placed in the bottom layer for drainage. Many people use a mix of Kiryu sand and akadama soil when planting Lithops.

27. Fuji Sand

Also known as black gold sand or black volcanic rock, it is a porous stone material formed after volcanic eruptions. It is also named after a place name, produced around Mount Fuji in Japan. It is different from ordinary volcanic ash in that it has very good permeability, water retention, circulation, and drainage.

In planting, it can be used for plant mixing, top dressing, bottom lining, and so on. It can be mixed with other soils such as akadama, and is suitable for succulents, cactus plants, bonsai, alpine flowers, and the like as an additive medium.

28. Rainbow Stone

Rainbow Stone is made from imported raw materials. It is a growth medium with a stable structure, and it is the best choice when organic soil cannot be used as a growing medium. It contains the nutrients plants need, maintains pH, and can store 40% of its own volume in water while providing optimal air-flow porosity.

Rainbow Stone is highly hard and not easily pulverized, absorbs water and breathes, and will not decompose or break down; it does not breed mosquitoes or insects, and contains no pest, disease or weed seeds; its bulk density is suitable, so it will not be blown away by wind, nor is it as heavy as stone; it can be used as a drainage layer, or as a garden mulch or potted-plant top dressing, and it looks attractive.

When using it, you can rely entirely on Rainbow Stone as the whole growing medium, or mix it with media such as peat, vermiculite, perlite, akadama and kanuma soil to improve the performance of the growing medium.

29. Sphagnum Moss

Sphagnum moss, also known as peat moss, is a natural moss belonging to the Sphagnaceae family. It grows in higher-altitude mountain areas, in the tropics, subtropics or swamps. Sphagnum moss is very soft and has extremely strong water absorption, absorbing an amount of water equal to 15-20 times its own weight. It has the characteristics of retaining water for a relatively long time while still being breathable, with a pH of 5~6.It is widely used in the cultivation of various orchids and is one of the finest materials for growing media.

Before using sphagnum moss, first soak the dried sphagnum moss in clean water for a period of time. The water-saturated sphagnum moss will gradually revive, expanding to several times its volume, and then it is ready to use. Sphagnum moss is a pure natural product, clean material, disease-free, and can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases; it has good water retention and drainage; it has excellent aeration; it does not easily rot and can be used for a long time, and when repotting there is no need to completely replace the material; it can be used alone or mixed with other media, making cultivation easy.

30. Green Zeolite

Its greatest role is in preventing plant root rot, effectively inhibiting the reproduction of harmful substances in the soil, and improving succulents' ability to resist disease, drought and stress. It also has the ability to adsorb and slowly release molecules, slowly releasing nutrients, preventing seedling burn, with good aeration, and it can remain loose for a long time, with the function of storing and supplying oxygen and nitrogen.

After understanding the characteristics of these soils, next comes our main event -20 Soil Mix Recipes。

Recipe 1:

Peat soil 50% + vermiculite (1-3mm) 25% + perlite (1-3mm) 25%. A method verified by countless people, super simple, super money-saving, super easy to use.

Recipe 2:

Peat soil 50% + honeycomb stove ash (1-3mm) 50%. Also a super money-saving, super simple method.

Recipe 3:

Peat soil + rice husk charcoal + vermiculite (1-3mm) + perlite (1-3mm) + akadama (1-3mm). Mix according to 3:1:1:1:1. This method is simple to prepare and costs a little more than Method 2, and in practice the seedling emergence rate is about the same as Method 2.

Recipe 3:

Garden soil 40%-50% + coarse sand 40%-50% + granules 10%. I believe quite a few succulent growers will recall their early days when they saw this ratio, going straight to find some garden soil and adding sand to start growing succulents.

Recipe 4:

Peat soil 10%-15% + coarse sand 15%-20% + granules 60%-80%. The proportions are not very strict; the granule share should be a bit higher. This kind of ratio is very common, and quite a few succulent growers use this recipe.

Recipe 5:

Garden soil 10%-15% + leaf mold 10% + coarse sand 20% + lightweight stone 40% + rice husk ash 10 rice husk ash. This ratio is also suitable for most succulents; rice husk ash is the ash from burning rice husks.

Recipe 6:

Garden soil 10%-15% + leaf mold 10% + wood shavings 20% + lightweight stone 40% + base fertilizer 10%. A fairly good ratio, and quite a few succulent growers also use this recipe; wood shavings are also common and very easy to find.

Recipe 7:

Sandy soil 20%-25% + plant gold stone 50%-60% + nutrient powder 6%-8%. The soil recipe of quite a few lithops. There are no strict requirements here either. It is a fairly suitable ratio.

Recipe 8:

Sandy soil 20% + peat soil 20%-30% + lightweight stone 40%-50%. This is fairly suitable for hard-leaved succulents, a good choice. The nutrients are sufficient too.

Recipe 9:

Peat soil 50% + coarse sand 20%-25% + heavy stone 25%-30%. The heavy stone can be ceramsite, perlite or honeycomb coal; these are all fine. This is a soil recipe for small succulent seedlings. It is fairly good.

Recipe 10:

Garden soil 30% + humus soil 20%-30% + granules around 40%. The aeration is good, and with this the nutrients are fairly plentiful; it is a very good ratio recipe.

Recipe 11:

Sedge peat 30% + peat soil 20% + coarse sand 15% + stone material 20% + nutrient powder 10%. Bone meal, shell powder, or even eggshell powder are all fine; there is no hard rule that they must be added, and you can try using them. With this kind of soil mix, the nutrients are very plentiful.

Recipe 12:

Garden soil 30% + small granules 30% + large granules 30% + nutrient powder 10%. With this kind of ratio, try to keep it in a bright place; succulents get more light, and it is best to have circulating air.

Recipe 13:

Peat soil 25% + coal cinder 40% + rice husk charcoal 15% + nutrient powder 10%. The proportion of coal cinder can still be increased by about 5%, and it will not affect the soil mix result too much. The nutrient powder can be around 8%. There are no very strict requirements.

Recipe 14:

Peat soil 20% + charcoal granules 20% + granular stone 40% + slow-release fertilizer 10%. It can also be mixed according to 1:1:1. For the granular stone, you can choose whatever you have. Because slow-release fertilizer already has a fertilizing effect, you do not need to add granular stone with fertility. There is not much necessity for it.

Recipe 15:

Garden soil 30% + granular stone 30% + charcoal 10% + coarse sand 10% + slow-release fertilizer (nutrient powder) 10%. The aeration is acceptable and the drainage is strong. It also has a fertilizing effect. This is also fine.

Recipe 16:

Sedge peat 20% + granular stone 35% + coarse sand 10% + coarse granules 15% + slow-release fertilizer around 10%. It is also a fairly good set of ratio recipes; while increasing nutrition, the aeration and drainage are both fine.

Recipe 17:

Garden soil 25% + coarse sand 10% + granular stone 30% + rice husk ash 15% + nutrient powder 10%. There are no very strict requirements; the garden soil and coarse sand can each be increased by about 5% more, and these materials are also fairly easy to obtain.

Recipe 18:

Garden soil 30% + coal cinder 40% + rice husk ash 20% + nutrient powder around 10%. This is also a very simple recipe, suitable for most succulents; some need the proportion of nutrient powder increased a bit. But do not exceed 5%.

Recipe 19:

Sedge peat 30% + coarse sand 30% + lightweight stone 30% + nutrient powder 10%. For the coarse sand, try to choose granules that are relatively larger. Maintain the soil's aeration. Do not use ones that are too fine.

Recipe 20:

Garden soil 35% + granular stone 50% + nutrient powder 15%. The simplest ratio; aeration and drainage rely on the granular stone, and the fertilizer is the nutrient powder. A good choice.